Belt or band conveyer



1934. F. J. WEST ET AL BELT OR BAND CONVEYER Filed March 8, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 30, 1934. F. J. WEST ET AL BELT OR BAND CONVEYER Filed March 8, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

Jan. 30, 1934. F. J. WEST ET AL 1,945,300

BELT OR BAND CONVEYER Filed March 8. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.4

(ML wgyran:

Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BELT 0R BAND CONVEYER Application March 8, 1932, Serial No. 597,586, and in Great Britain May 9, 1931 6 Claims.

Belt or band conveyers usually have their carrying portion supported by a succession of single flat or concave rollers or by a succession of roller units each of which produces a trough shape for the belt or band to ride upon. The return length of the belt or band usually rides upon a flat roller. Such roller arrangements are not altogether satisfactory in service. They are diflicult to lubricate and they cause wear of the belt or band particularly if the rollers do not rotate freely.

The object of our present invention is to provide improved supporting means for the belt or band, such means being readily lubricated and imposing no friction upon the belt or band during its movement.

Our invention comprises the suspension of the belt or band from its opposte edges by wheels or the lke running upon tracks at such a distance apart that they allow the belt or band to assume the desired shape or curvature in its carrying and return lengths, the said tracks reacting to the pull of the band transmitted through the wheels.

Our invention further comprises the arrangement of each band suspension means with two wheels or sets of wheels therein, one wheel or set of wheels being disposed in a horizontal and the other in a vertical direction to support the load upon the band and to allow of the desired degree of troughing of the band.

Our invention further comprises the arrangement of each band suspension means in the form of a single wheel set at an angle to react to the resultant pull from the band.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a band conveyer with one form of our improved sup-- porting means applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 a cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing an end of the conveyer where the band reverses its direction of movement.

Figure 4 is a side elevation and Figure 5 a sectional view similar to Figure 3, but showing a modified arrangement of parts at an end of the conveyer run.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view showing a modified arrangement of the band conveyer supporting means in accordance with our invention.

The same reference letters in the different Views indicate the same or similar parts.

In Figure 1, the conveyer band a has clips b attached thereto at spaced intervals along its opposite edges, the band edge being reinforced if desired, either on its edges or by transverse straps, for the purpose of receiving such attachments. Each clip is pivotally secured at c to a frame (2 which may be composed of tubular members adapted to carry two runner wheels e and f, the wheel e being in a vertical plane and running upon the horizontal part g of an L section girder rail and the other runner wheel i being in a horizontal plane and running upon the outer side of the vertical part it of the said rail. The wheels can be lubricated by a grease gun applied to the nipple 2 upon the tubular frame d, the latter forming a lubricant carried for the wheels mounted thereon. By altering the distance apart of the rails g, h at the opposite sides of the banda, the contour of the band can be altered to suit requirements. For example, the upper or carrying length of the band can be troughed and the lower or return length flat, as shown.

The horizontal runner wheels ,1 support a portion of the load of the band and the two sets of wheels determine in conjunction with the spacing of the rails, the contour or degree of troughing of the band. In some cases more than one wheel 2 and more than one wheel 1 may be contained in each suspension unit. The spacing of the units apart along the conveyer band is determined by the size of band and its load carrying capacity.

At the end of the run of a conveyer band, a drum 7' (Figures 2 and 3) may support the band and the runner wheels be guided by curved L section rails.

Or, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the shaft 70 with the drum 7' thereon may have short drums m and. n thereon with L section peripheral parts upon which the runner wheels e and f ride.

If desired, the band a may be suspended from single runner wheels p at its opposite sides, as shown in Figure 6, such wheels running upon rails q which restrain the wheels againstmovement towards the band under the pull of the latter. If desired, the wheels 70 may have grooved peripheries and in addition to the rails q by 1 which the wheels are supported, check rails 1' above each line of wheels may be employed. The wheels are set at a suitable angle to react to the pull of the band.

By arranging the band supports on each side of and clear of the bands, lubrication of the runner wheels can be readily performed. Also Wear of the band by the rollers is obviated. Further, one form of carrier serves for both the carrying and return lengths of the band, the rails upon which the runner wheels ride being suitably spaced to suit requirements.

It will be appreciated that in accordance with our invention each individual wheel or wheel system is self-supporting and requires no auxiliary means, such as an axle or other rigid connection between pairs of wheels on opposite sides of the band to restrain the wheel or wheel system against the pull of the band.

What we claim is:

1. In band conveyers, the combination of a band, wheels associated with opposite edges of said band but otherwise unconnected with. each other, and tracks for said wheels at such a distance apart that they allow said band to assume the desired shape or curvature in its carrying and return lengths, said tracks reacting to the pull of the band transmitted through said wheels.

2. In band conveyers, the combination of a band, horizontally disposed wheels associated with opposite edges of said band, vertically disposed Wheels also associated with opposite edges of said band, and tracks having horizontal and vertical parts for said horizontally and vertically disposed wheels at such a distance apart that they allow said band to assume the desired shape or curvature in its carrying and return lengths, said tracks reacting to the pull of the band transmitted through said wheels.

3. In band conveyers, the combination of a band, a series of clips upon said band at its opposite edges, a series of frames pivotally attached to said clips, a horizontal wheel horizontally mounted on each said frame, a wheel vertically mounted on each said frame, and tracks having horizontal and vertical parts for said horizontally and vertically mounted wheels at such a distance apart that they allow said band to assume the desired shape or curvature in its carrying and return lengths, said tracks reacting to the pull of the band transmitted through said wheels.

4. In band conveyers, the combination of a band, a series of clips upon said band at its opposite edges, a series of tubular frames pivotally attached to said clips, a wheel horizontally mounted on each said frame, a wheel vertically mounted on each said frame, nipples for supplying lubricant through said tubular frames to said Wheels, and tracks having horizontal and vertical parts for said horizontally and vertically mounted wheels at such a distance apart that they allow said band to assume the desired shape or curvature in its carrying and return lengths, said tracks reacting to the pull of the band transmitted through said wheels.

5. In band conveyers, the combination of a band, wheels associated with opposite edges of said band but otherwise unconnected with each other, tracks for said wheels at such a distance apart that they allow said band to assume the desired shape or curvature in its carrying and return lengths, said tracks reacting to the pull of the band transmitted through said wheels, drums to support the band at the ends of the run, and further drums to carry said wheels.

6. In band conveyers, the combination of a band, horizontally disposed wheels associated with opposite edges of said hand, vertically disposed wheels also associated with opposite edges of said band, L section rails constituting tracks for said horizontally and vertically disposed wheels at such a distance apart that they allow said band to assume the desired shape or curvature in its carrying and return lengths, said tracks reacting to the pull of the band transmitted through said wheels, drums to support the band at the ends of the run, and further drums having ,L section peripheries to carry said Wheels.

FREDERICK JOSEPH WEST. ERNEST WEST. 

